Herbert Beetham - Billiards Master

Former resident of Littleover, Herbert Beetham was for decades one of the greatest names in the game of billiards. Billiards was at one time more popular than the game of snooker, both games were played on the same table.

Born James Herbert Beetham in 1909 at Havelock Road, Pear Tree, Derby in the factory house of the family business to James Henry and Mary Jane Beetham. The family business was called White Brothers who were botanical brewers and mineral water manufacturers. The business was run by his grandfather and two brothers named White. The family moved to Derby Lane, Normanton, Derby early in Herbert’s life and it is where he spent his formative years.

Herbert was very young when he started playing billiards. None of his family were involved in any sport, although his father was interested in billiards. He soon discovered that he had a natural ability for the game of billiards. He began playing on a quarter-size table in the attic of the family home. His father kept a record all of his breaks scored of 50 or more and that he made his first break of 100 in August 1923 when at the age of just 14. He started playing on a full-size table at the age of 19, when he joined St. Thomas Institute, Pear Tree Road, Derby and made his first century break on a full-size table within three months of joining.

They say that the sign of a good billiards or snooker player is that of a misspent youth but this was quickly dismissed when in the company of Herbert Beetham. He found his passion for the game, not in the seedy, smoke-filled billiards halls, but in the quiet, soberness of the St. Thomas’s Church Institute. In 1932, he entered the All England Amateur Championships, and by 1936, Herbert played his way to the final of the Championships, losing by just 30 points after 12 hours of play.

By 1939, Herbert and his wife Florence Maud were living at their new family home at Park Drive, Littleover. Herbert made his highest-ever break of 533 on his own table at his Littleover home. I understand that Herbert also played in the Snooker Club on the corner of Park Drive and Park Lane.

During the Second World War the English Championship was cut and Herbert was called up. In 1942 he joined the Burton Fire Brigade and in 1944 he was one of the first firemen to arrive at RAF Fauld, near Tutbury, the site of an underground munitions’ storage depot. The depot had been devastated by a massive explosion, one on the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. Whilst working in Burton, he continued to practice at the Burton Constitutional Club. Then in 1946 the English Championship started again, and in that year, he was the losing finalist.

He was the losing finalist again in 1952 and 1959 and it was thought that he was never going to win the English title. However, in 1960, he eventually became the English Amateur Champion, then again in 1961 and 1963 and was the runner up in 1962. As the English Champion, he was asked to represent England at the World Amateur Billiards Championships, which was held in Edinburgh. Herbert won all of his matches in that competition to become the World Champion in October 1960. Two years later, he was unsuccessful in defending his title in Perth, Western Australia.

Herbert played regularly for the St. Thomas’s Institute in the Derby Institutes League. They were the league champions each year from 1936 until 1959, when the institute closed down. He went on to play for the Walbrook Institute, situated on the corner of Walbrook Road and Duncan Road, Derby, until that closed in about 1963. Following that closure Herbert practiced at the Beaconsfield Club, Green Lane, Derby. At this time, he became more involved with the organisation of the game, and was a founder member of the Derbyshire Billiards and Snooker Association and was the first president. He was also the Derbyshire’s representative on the Billiards and Snooker Control Council.

He still continued to play in competitions and in 1977, he was again the losing finalist in the English Amateur Championships, this at the age of 68 and 45 years after he first entered it. He was never tempted to turn professional, although he was always dedicated, billiards was his hobby, and he never wanted it to become his job.

Not only that, he managed to combine a world-class career as a billiards player with that of a successful businessman. Herbert Beetham was fortunate because he had a business, which he ran for many years, White Brothers soft drink company in Derby. The company had started in 1903, producing drinks including sarsaparilla, ginger beer and hop ale in half gallon stone jars. The jars were delivered by horse and dray directly to people's homes. The stone jars were discontinued in 1943 and the firm began producing soft drinks in returnable glass bottles. The company carried on delivery and many will remember their green open-sided van on its delivery round. White Brothers closed the factory in 1997 when Derby City Council acquired the premises for demolition under a clearance scheme.

Herbert Beetham a former world amateur billiards champion, three times English title holder and, for decades, one of the greatest names in the game died in Derby in April 1992. His funeral was attended by a great crowd of old friends, including many representatives of the world of billiards. His wife Florence Maud Beetham died in December 1975.